Triturating device.



UNITED STATES PATENT orruon.

FRANK K. noovnn' AND ARTHUR J. mason, or cmcaeo, ILLINOIS.

TRITURATING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK K. HOOVER and ARTHUR J. MA soN, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Triturating Devices, of which the following is a specification. v A I This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for treating natural deposits of phosphate rock and other minerals in a natural state for the purpose of freeing the same from clay, iron, and any other foreign matter with which the phosphate oflime or othermineral may be associated in its natural stateythus enhancing its commercial value as afertilizing orother agent.

The present method of treating phosphate rock, wherein a hi'g'h'grade is desired, consists mainlyinroughly washing the larger lumps or pieces only toobtain the desired grade, discarding the smaller and finer particles which are more .or less intermixed with clay,iron, sandand like foreign matter more or less adhering to the particles of phosphate of lime.

We have found from extensive work on a considerable variety of the brown rock of Tennessee that the smaller and finer constituent, properly and thoroughly cleaned an reed from such foreign matter, will return nearly the same percentage of phosphate of lime .as the selected larger p eces; and our resent invention relates to a de' vice inten ed for use in a preliminary preparation of the material for the washing out of such foreign matter, and to facilitate the latter operation. a

We have found that the cleaning of phos phaterock is most eflicientlyfeifected in two stages. The first consists of the softening of the clay, and the second of its separation from the rock; and these two stages of op- .erations are best performed separately.-

The first, namely, the softening of the clay, is best effected in the presence of a relatively sinall amount of water; whereas the second o oration, consistingl of the separation of t e clay 'fromthe p osphate rock is most efficiently performed in the presence of a relatively large amount of water. I

The subject-matter of the present a plication relates to;'a novel device for e ecting the first of the above-named operations. This device, to whi'ch we apply the designaf 'tion of a mulcher, has for its function to Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

Application filed June 9, 1911. Serial No. 632,235.

effect a softening. and loosening of the clay and iron which naturally tends to adhere to the particlesof phosphate of lime, so that such clay and iron may be more easily brought into solution and suspension in the body of water in which thematerial is subsequently washed, on very much the same principle as that underlying the rubbing of ones hands with soap to loosen and release the dirt thereon in the operation of washmg the hands. The apparatus which we have devised for-this purpose, and which constitutes the subject matter of the present invention, operates on this principle of effecting an intimate rubbing or attrition of the particles against each other while the material is in a stifily plastic state without grinding or disruption of the particles of phosphate rock; and, in its simplest form, it comprises as its chief essential elements an open-ended container made upof a series of superposed horizontal stationary and ro- .from a stationary holder into a rotary' holder and vice versa, thuseflecting a-very intimate and thorough attrition of all of the particles upon each other, which effectually loosens and softens the clay and. other foreign matter from the particles'of phosphate rock and places them in a' condition to be readily taken up and dissolved by the water in the subsequent washing operation. The invention, its principle of operation, and the benefits and advantages secured thereby will be readily understood from a consideration of the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which the figure is a central vertical section through the apparatus, showing the material treated in one side of the view.

Referring to the drawing, 5 designates each of a series of superposed spaced rectangular supporting frames, on and within which are supported a series of stationary annular holders 6 secured by bolts 7 passing through holders 13 arranged in alternating relation with the stationary holders 6. .The peripheral portions of both series of holders are connected to their hubs by spokes 6 and 13", respectively, and are preferably made tapering or frusto-conical in form, with the narrower lower annular end'of each holder internally over-lapping the wider upper end of the next under-lying holder. To prevent .the material treated from packing in between the shaft 11v and the hubs of the several -holders, andto cause the material to work outwardly or toward the peripheries of the holderswhere the rubbing actionis greatest, guard plates 14 are interposed above the hubs of the stationary holders. 3 Keyed on the shaft llbelow the series" of ring shaped holders is a circular plate 15 on which the material is deposited from the lowermostholder; said plate being provided on its lower side with a bevel gear 16 engaged by a bevel pinion 17 on the inner end of a driving shaft 18, this latter being mounted in journals 19and. driven from any suitable source of. power. To elfect-the gradual and continuous delivery of the ma-- terialfrom the supporting plate 15 we provide a displacer in the nature of a stationary plow or scraper 22, engaging the outer edge portion of the plate 15 and deflecting the material oil the edge of said plate as it piles up on the latter. 11 order to bring the material to the proper consistency, which is preferably a plastic state slightly stiffer than ordinary mortar as used in plastering buildings, a small stream of water is introduced at the top of thecontainer through a Pip 2 In the operation of the apparatus, the phosphate rock as it comes from the mine, and preferably previously passed through crushing rolls to reduce it to particles not exceeding -one-half inch or thereabouts in size, is delivered into the, upper end of the apparatus until the latter is completely filled with such material resting uponthe supporting plate 15. Upon a slou motion beingthen imparted to the plate 15 and the several rotary rings or holders 13, it will be evident that the material contained in the .rings 13 will revolve while that contained in the alternate rings 6 will not revolve. There is thus produced between the contiguous strata of material contained in the staorpolishin'g action will be" fed in at the top of the container in con time thematerial is passing through the apparatus, the more complete this rubbing The materialis stant and-uniform quantities and at a' rate equal to the rate of discharge; and the practical effect of the action of the apparatus on the material'is to thoroughly loosen and soften up the clay'and' other foreign matter and bring it into a condition in which it is read ily separated from the mineral particles by the action of water, and brought into solution or suspension in the latter. As the material is constantly descending at a uniform rate through the container, this rubbing and polishing action takes place throughout the entire body ofmateriaL- We have found that by subjecting phosphate rock to this preliminary mulching treatment before washing the same, the grade is brought up in the neighborhood of three points, as compared with similar material which is washed without such preliminary treatment; that is, rock which would be marketed at 75% B.. P. L. (bone phosphate of lime) will. grade 78% when subjected to this treatment. It will be obviousthat if the rings or holders 6 and 13 are revolved in opposite directions the same result will be obtained.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising the combination of a series of concentrically arranged superposed spider members having annular containing flanges, a second series of annular members similarly arranged alternately with respect to said first named members, provided with inwardly projecting arms and forming with the first named members a circular space for the passage of material to be pulverized, and means for efiecting relatively rotary movement of said series of annular members. a

2 In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a pair of relatively stationary annular members, spaced apart, superposed and concentrically arranged and each provided with a plurality of beater arms extending toward the center, a relatively movable annular member concentrically arranged with respect to and. 1

interposed between and overlapping said first two members and similarly provided with a plurality of beater arms interposed between the beater arms of said. first two members, and means for effecting relative rotary movement, of the latter annular members with respect to said first two annular-members.

"3. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising in combination a. series of superposed horizontal stationary and rotary annular holders alternately arranged mamas in overlapping relation through both of which the material treated descends, a supporting plate for the material beneath said holders, means for efiecting rotation of said rotary holders and supporting plate, and a displacer adapted to deflect the material 011? the edge of said supporting plate, substantially as'described.

4. An apparatus for the purpose described comprising in combination a series of superposed stationary supports, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted coincidently with the vertical axis of said supports, a series of ring-shaped holders secured peripherally to said supports, a series of similar rotary holders keyed to said shaft and alternating with said stationary holders, a supporting plate keyed to said shaft beneath said series of holders, means for rotating said shaft, and a stationary displacer adapted to deflect the material ofi' the edge of suid supporting plate, substantially as described.

5. In apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination of a series of coneshaped annular members, spaced apart, concentrically arranged and superposed with respect to each other, a second series of annular members similarly arranged alternately with respectto said first named members with their lower edges overlapping and of a less diameter than the upper edges of said first named membersfand their upper edges overlapping and of a greater diameter than the lower edges of said first named members, the members of both series being provided with inwardly extending beater arms and means for efiecting relative rotary movement of the two series of annular members. r

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a plurality of concentrically arranged, superposed annular members provided with inwardly extending beater arms and internested together in overlapping relation, said members being alternately connected together to form two groups, and meansfor efiecting relative rotary movement of each of said groups.

Witnesses SAMUEL N. Pom), C. A. KENYON. 

